COMBATING METH

For drugstore owner Tom DeVille a new law requiring surveillance
cameras or pseudoephedrine products to be behind the pharmacy counter
is "killing sales so far."

The Hoosier law took affect Friday, July 1, and Indiana is one of 26
states limiting the sale of methamphetamine precursors made from
pseudoephedrine, ephedrine and phenylpropanolamine.

Kentucky and Illinois have passed similar laws but Ohio and Michigan
have not passed precursor laws. Congress also is debating a meth
precursor law. To comply with the Hoosier law, independently owned
Deville's Dillsboro Drug Store, 12826 North St., opted to put the
drugs, such as Pseudofed, behind the counter, even though the store
has surveillance cameras. His cameras can't zoom in on those cold
medications to comply, said DeVille, adding some medications have
been kept behind the counter for some time because of theft. So far,
folks are opting for another allergy/sinus medication instead of the
pseudophedrine-containing drugs, as soon as they see the log and the
state-issued photo identification requirement, he said. "But that
may change when we get to cold season. There's not too much need for
a decongestant in July," said DeVille. DeVille's cough and cold
department does $15,000 to $20,000 in sales a year, but he expects
sales to go down with the new law, he said. DeVille also expects
manufacturers to switch the type of decongestant used to one that
cannot be turned into methamphetamines. Consumers also should look
for a push to switch some prescription medications, such as Allegra
and Zyrtec, to over-the-counter status, he said.

'Patchwork Of Laws' Confusing

Meanwhile, chain drugstores and other large retailers have their own
issues meeting the laws which vary from state to state.

In two statements, National Association of Chain Drug Stores
President Craig L. Fuller endorsed creation of a national standard
for selling pseudoephedrine products.

In May, Fuller outlined principles the NACDS advocates for the
national standard.

The principles include: -- pre-empting retailer requirements in state
laws; -- keeping the sale of pseudoephedrine available without a
prescription; -- requiring sales from behind the pharmacy counter and
sold by a licensed pharmacist or pharmacy personnel; -- maintaining a
written or electronic log of pseudoephedrine purchases; -- limiting
purchases to 9 grams within a 30-day period; limit distribution
center storage requirements.

The NACDS sent a letter Tuesday, June 28, to two U.S. senators
endorsing the Combat Meth Act of 2005.

"We commend the senators for their leadership in vigorously pursuing
a role for the federal government to assist with stopping
methamphetamine production and addiction," said Fuller.

The act provides a comprehensive solution by giving local law
enforcement the necessary tools and resources to pursue
methamphetamine offenders, and state prosecutors the power to
effectively prosecute methamphetamine cases, he said.

The patchwork of more than two dozen different state requirements and
scores of local ordinances are confusing to consumers and law
enforcement, said Fuller.

Whether the national standard is passed this year, however, is up in
the air, said Mary Ann Wagner, vice president of pharmacy regulator
affairs for the NACDS.

There are several Senate co-sponsors but the bill must go through the
Senate judiciary committee first.

"And the committee is going to have its hands full with Supreme Court
nominations, so this could go fast or be really slowed down," said Wagner.

NACDS supports a national standard because the products covered and
the amount that can be bought over a period of time, varies greatly
from state to state.

A national standard would make it easier for NACDS members, law
enforcement and consumers to follow the law, she said.

Some NACDS members, including CVS, Walgreens, and Kroger, have taken
voluntary steps in all states removing pseudoephedrine/ephedrine
products from shelves, she said.

Meanwhile, Indiana State Police will check drugstores' and retailers'
logs frequently to see who is buying pseudoephedrine/ephedrine
products, said ISP Sgt. Jerry Goodin.

Some stores already had some of the drugs behind the counter because
of theft, but did not have the newly required logs and photo ID
requirement, said Goodin.

Theft is not new, and when certain products are being stolen, "we
knew where they were going," said Wagner.

The NACDS, though, does not have a quantified number of how much the
theft of pseudoephedrine has cost stores, she said.

"One thing is, you cannot make meth without pseudoephedrine or
ephedrine, and the law allows about 100 pills per week, so I think
this will really curb the production of meth," said Goodin.